Whatever happened on the Chiefs’ final drive of regulation Sunday, coach Todd Haley wants to pinpoint and repeat it.

Haley said Monday, during his weekly news conference, that he’s willing to put more emphasis on the no-huddle package that had no business working against Dallas but did anyway — perhaps better than anything has worked all season for Kansas City’s bullied and often-overmatched offense.

Somehow, that’s what happened. The Chiefs faced a heavy Cowboys pass rush that sacked Matt Cassel four times and kept him rattled and indecisive for nearly 58 minutes of regulation. To make matters worse, Kansas City’s offensive line was without two starters, left tackle Branden Albert and right guard Mike Goff, both of whom left with injuries. The Cowboys had just scored a quick touchdown to take their first lead, adding comeback pressure to the Chiefs.

With all those factors working against Kansas City, Cassel and that beleaguered, battered and pieced-together offense scored a tying touchdown. Cassel made it look easy, too.

“Guys used technique,” Haley said Monday. “They did it the way we’re coaching them to do.”

The coach has said throughout this season that he prefers, for now, to run an offense that minimizes mistakes and allows the Chiefs to get comfortable in Haley’s system. That, and the team doesn’t yet possess the talent that Haley had in Arizona, where he allowed quarterback Kurt Warner to improvise and find star wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.

Cassel passed the first phase of Haley’s plan, lasting three games and attempting 98 passes without an interception. Cassel protected the ball, but what more did the Chiefs have to show for it? The Chiefs are still winless and ranked 30th among 32 NFL teams in total offense.

“If it’s something that gives us a better chance,” Haley said, “I would be for that. It’s something I’ve had a lot of experience with. Anything that will give us a chance to play good on either side of the ball, we need to do.”

Haley said an added use of no-huddle offense wouldn’t eliminate rushing plays, which largely haven’t worked, but a change in philosophy could flip Kansas City’s emphasis from rushing and power to finesse and surprise.

The question, then, becomes whether Haley can yet trust Cassel to play on command the way he did Sunday out of necessity. For the Chiefs to play no-huddle more often, it would have to come with the understanding that a higher-risk offense means more opportunities for mistakes. Still, the team left Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday wondering where that kind of offensive rhythm had been this season.

The 27-year-old quarterback was asked Sunday why, of all times, it took a difficult situation for the offense to look like something between productive and outstanding — even if it was for just the one drive. The Chiefs lost 26-20 in overtime, after a pair of botched possessions in the extra period. The team went back to the old way, and it again failed.

“That’s just football,” Cassel said.

Regardless, Cassel was sharp. The line blocked. Wide receivers caught even the most difficult passes. Pressure evaporated, and the Chiefs’ many holes seemed invisible for the first time all season. There was no time to think or be intimidated. Maybe that’s why it was successful.

Haley said that because it did work — when so little has — a change is worth looking into. What does Kansas City have to lose?

“They got together in the huddle,” Haley said, “and it was just them out there. It’s something I want to build on and move forward with and understand that if we’re capable of doing that as an offense, we surely ought to be capable of scoring enough points to win.”Love it. The Chiefs had a ton of success Sunday when going no huddle at the end of both halves. It also helps with pass protection if pass rushers are exhausted.

Bike

10-14-2009, 11:25 AM

Do it.

wolfpack

10-14-2009, 11:58 AM

Lets do it. Plus tell Cassel that Haily wont jump all over him if he takes a chance down field and throws an INT. Sometimes Cassel looks like hes worried about getting yelled at and wont try anything.
The last td drive he looked more like he didnt give a $hit and just threw it.

yashi

10-14-2009, 12:05 PM

Lets do it. Plus tell Cassel that Haily wont jump all over him if he takes a chance down field and throws an INT. Sometimes Cassel looks like hes worried about getting yelled at and wont try anything.
The last td drive he looked more like he didnt give a and just threw it.

Well his back was against the wall and he had no choice but to force a play there. I kind of like that Cassel is disciplined enough to take a sack rather than throw the ball up for grabs like Jay Cutler or something. I can't even imagine how good he'll be once he can get some time to throw and a decent running game.

My biggest knack on him though is that sometimes he dumps the ball off for 4 yards on 3rd and 10 instead of try to evade the sack and make plays. 4 yards on 3rd and 10 might as well be punting on 3rd down. Try to make something happen there and if you get sacked you get sacked.

PawnshopMarimba

10-14-2009, 02:32 PM

I like the idea. No huddle is pretty darn hard to defend, and the Chiefs need any boost they can get with their offense.

The only question is can Cassell be effective at reading defenses and audible out of a bad play in this scheme?

Bike

10-14-2009, 02:36 PM

I like the idea. No huddle is pretty darn hard to defend, and the Chiefs need any boost they can get with their offense.

The only question is can Cassell be effective at reading defenses and audible out of a bad play in this scheme?
For 60 mil, you'd think he would be....:D

Vanilla Garilla

10-14-2009, 09:18 PM

I am all for running the no huddle more. Anyone ever notice how well teams do when they only have a couple minutes left to move the ball? I have, and in fact i incorporate while playing madden whenever my offense needs a spark.

josh1971

10-14-2009, 09:23 PM

Oh...

NOW he says that. I was screaming it when we began overtime on Sunday.

tornadospotter

10-14-2009, 09:26 PM

Does he mean kinda like what Chan did last year, gee maybe we should have keep Chan.

Hayvern

10-14-2009, 10:04 PM

I am all for running the no huddle more. Anyone ever notice how well teams do when they only have a couple minutes left to move the ball? I have, and in fact i incorporate while playing madden whenever my offense needs a spark.

Fubbalo had a lot of success with this back in the day.

honda522

10-14-2009, 10:57 PM

They should also allow Cassel to audible. Doens't have to be like Peyton Manning, but just enough to get a first down.

hometeam

10-15-2009, 12:20 AM

no huddle has my vote

Chiefster

10-15-2009, 12:31 AM

Tires out the opposing defense, unfortunately it also tires out the offense, but if we could win with it then I say do it.

honda522

10-15-2009, 12:40 AM

Tires out the opposing defense, unfortunately it also tires out the offense, but if we could win with it then I say do it.
Yes, but the the offense should have a big advantage knowing the snap count. Who am I kidding?

Chiefster

10-15-2009, 12:48 AM

Yes, but the the offense should have a big advantage knowing the snap count. Who am I kidding?

:lol:

Isawa_mo

10-15-2009, 09:58 AM

The problem with it being when you do not move the sticks. It then puts a defense that has had to be on the field alot, on it even more often.

I am not saying it isn't worth a try. I am just pointing out there are some negatives of doing it.

loyalchief91

10-15-2009, 10:10 AM

Everything else we've tried to this point hasn't worked. Hopefully, the no huddle will give us an edge.

brish

10-15-2009, 10:25 AM

They should also allow Cassel to audible. Doens't have to be like Peyton Manning, but just enough to get a first down.

Word!

chief31

10-16-2009, 12:55 AM

Does he mean kinda like what Chan did last year, gee maybe we should have keep Chan.

Amen!

Not that this comes as any surprise to me. I fully expected Haley to fail at getting any running game going, and turn our offense into The Arizona cardinals offense anyway.

The problem with it being when you do not move the sticks. It then puts a defense that has had to be on the field alot, on it even more often.

I am not saying it isn't worth a try. I am just pointing out there are some negatives of doing it.

Agreed. It's the whole reason that I hate pass-only offenses.

nigeriannightmare

10-16-2009, 01:29 AM

Well his back was against the wall and he had no choice but to force a play there. I kind of like that Cassel is disciplined enough to take a sack rather than throw the ball up for grabs like Jay Cutler or something. I can't even imagine how good he'll be once he can get some time to throw and a decent running game.

My biggest knack on him though is that sometimes he dumps the ball off for 4 yards on 3rd and 10 instead of try to evade the sack and make plays. 4 yards on 3rd and 10 might as well be punting on 3rd down. Try to make something happen there and if you get sacked you get sacked.